Dampening device for laundries



, Patenfednec. I3, |898.

F. E. FAY. h DAMPENING DEVICE FORLAUNDBIES'. I

(Application med Nov. 2, 1897;)

(No Model.)

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NITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED E'. FAY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DAMP'ENINVGV DEVICE FOR LAUNDRIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,974, dated December 13, 1898.

Application fled November 2, 1897. Serial No. 657,149. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED E. FAY, a citizen Laundries, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved device for dampenin g articles in a laundry previous to ironing` the same, more especially the edges of collars and cuffs, where it is desired to only dampen a small portion of the article, which may be done very rapidly by merely touching the edge of thearticle to the dampening device; and myimprovement consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure I is a side elevation of my improved dampener. Fig. II is a vertical section of the same. Fig. III is a top view showing a portion of the fabric which covers the top broken away in order to show the perforated supporting-plate beneath the fabric. Fig. IV is a plan view of the distributing-plate situated above the receiving-chamber. Fig. V is a transverse section taken on lineV V, Fig. III. Fig. VI is a detail broken view showing manner ofgathering the edge of the fabric covering on the under side of the supporting-plate.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a standard having a suitable base 2, said standard being preferably made of gas-pipe and having its lower end screwed into the base 2.

3 represents a plug located at the upper end of the standard 1 in order to close the hollow opening extending through the standard.

#I represents a T-coupling having one end screwed fast to the upper end of the standard 1 and its other end screwed to a connectingpipe 5, the pipe 5 being screwed at its upper end to a T-coupling 6.

7 represents a steam-pipe connected at 8 with the T-coupling 6 and having a reduced steam-discharge pipe 9, secured to the inner end of the pipe 7, said discharge-pipe 9 extending across the vertical cavity or chamber in the T-coupling 6.

lO represents a screw/pipe connecting one portion of the T-coupling 6 with an elbow 11.

12 represents my improved bowl-shaped dampening device, having a chamber 13 for receiving the steam from the steam-pipe 7. The lower end of the bowl 12 is contracted into a pipe shape, as shown at 14, and secured to the upper end of the elbow 1l. Thus, if desired,the bowl can readily be detached from the supporting and steam-supplying devices. IVater from the condensed steam travels back through the hollow leg of the bowl, down through the stand, and out through a drainpipe l5. The steam-discharge pipe 9 extends far enough across the cavity in the T 6 to prevent the steam being discharged downwardly through the standard, but at the same time leaving space enough for the water arising from the condensed steam to pass down on its way to thedrain-pipe 15. I provide the bowl 12 with a vertically-extending flange 16 and with a shoulder 17 at the lower end of A said liange.

18 represents a vcircular plate resting upon the shoulder 17 of the bowl. The plate 18 is provided with a series of perforations 19, through which the steam passes from the receiving-chamber 13, said perforated plate 18 serving to break up the steam before it passes into the distributing-chamber 20, located immediately over said plate 18.

21 represents a perforated supporting-plate located over the distributingchamber 20. The entire upper surface of the support-ingplate 21 is provided with perforations 22, through which the steam passes from .the distributing-chamber.

23 represents a covering, of cotton, wool, or silk fabric, or its equivalent, stretched over the supporting-plate 21, said fabric having its edges brought down and gathered by a gathering-string 21 on the under side of the supporting-plate. The supporting-plate is provided with a vertical liange 25, which fits down over the vertical flange 16 on the upper end of the bowl 12. As the supportingplate 21 is forced down upon the top of the bowl the fabric 23 is drawn taut, as shown in Fig. V, forming a surface like the head of a drum on the top of the dampening device. The steam passing up through the perfop rated plates dampens the fabric on the upper surface, on which the collars or cuffs or other articles being dampened are applied merely by IOO touching them to the taut surface of the dampened fabric. As the fabric becomes soiled it is readily removed and a clean portion of fabric supplied in its place. When ironing the edges of collars or cus or such like articles, in order to make a smooth and rounding surface it is necessary and desirable that the edges be ironed after the body has been ironed, it takinga different form of machine for ironing the edges to what is required in ironing the broad flat surface of the collar or cuff, and in dampening the edges it will be seen that care must be taken not to leave the article long enough upon the dampening device to injure the gloss of the starch on the body of the article, and as the machine that irons the edge does not extend for any distance upon the body it is necessary that the dampening operation be very rapid andthe two operations of dampening,r and ironing be almost simultaneous in order that the edge be ironed before the dampness has time to spread to the body of the article which has been previously ironed.

I claim as my invention-*- 1. A dainpening device comprising a body having a receiving-chamber, means for introducing steam to the receiving-chamber, a perforated supporting-plate having a iiange tting over the body, and a fabric drawn taut over said plate, and clamped by the flange on the supporting-plate to the body; substan tiall y as described.

2. In a dampening device for laundries, the combination of a bowl-shaped body having a receiving-chamber, means for introducing steam to the receiving-chamber, a fiange on the upper end of said bowl-shaped body, a perforated supporting-plate, afabric drawn taut over said plate and having its edges gathered on the under side of the supporting-plate and a `flange on the supporting= plate adapted to fit down over the flange on the bowl and clamp the fabric in a taut position on the supporting-plate, substantially as set forth.

8. In a dampening device for laundries, the combination of a standard having a base, T-couplings connected With the standard, a drain-pipe and steam-pipe connected with said T-coup1ings, a discharge steam-pipe extending across the vertical aperture of the T to Which the steam-pipe is connected, a body having a suitable steam-chamber connected with one of the Ts of the standard and means for distributing the steam from the receiving chamber whereby articles to be ironed may be readily applied thereto, substantially as set forth.

The foregoing speciiication signed at Los Angeles, California, this 26th day of October, 1897. l

FRED E. FAY.

In presence of- J. W. KEMP, JAS. E. KNIGHT. 

